Senior athletes share nutrition tips at National Senior Games (slideshow)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you're wondering how the athletes in Cleveland for the National Senior Games stay in shape, think beyond exercise and look at their diet.

For some of the competitors, eating is a part of training. A proper diet can provide all the energy and nutrients necessary for good health and exercise.

Healthful eating comes in many forms. Some eat vegetarian, some count calories, some take supplements and some cook all their own meals. If you're looking to get in shape, consider these athletes' and dietitians' methods of nutrition.

Alliance resident Jack Wackwitz, 70, walks and runs six days a week to train for his track and field and road race events. He primarily eats vegetarian with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Without meat in his diet, he gets his proteins from beans. This combination, he said, gives him the stamina for conditioning.

"The harder I run, the more I eat," he said.

For Mary Katherine Vass, a 76-year-old swimmer from Charlotte, N.C., hydration is more important than the food she eats. The swimmer acknowledged there are days when she doesn't get her vegetable servings in, but she always drinks plenty of water.

Jon Catalano takes his diet more seriously. The 57-year-old East Cleveland resident conditions year-round with exercise and a stringent diet to prepare for his track and field and bowling events. He drinks only Gatorade and water, avoids processed foods and refined sugar, eats lean protein such as turkey and chicken, and prepares all his meals. He even bakes his own bread.

"I don't know the last time I've eaten food that I haven't cooked myself," he said.